Ramiro Garcia Caps American Idol Audition with Compelling Story [VIDEO]

A large part of Thursday’s American Idol auditions focused on jokester auditions and disagreements on talent between the judges. But the show closed with a great story about 28-year-old worship leader Ramiro Garcia, and his audition even had a little East Texas flavor to it.

Garcia told the story of being born with no ears and doctors told his family he would be mute, unable to hear or speak, for the rest of his life. After a series of operations, he can not only hear and speak, but he can sing — and sing quite while.

Being 28, Garcia got his one shot at auditioning for American Idol. The worship leader from megachurch Lakewood Church in Houston, where Joel Osteen is the pastor, performed “Amazing Grace” for judges Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler.

His performance was excellent, and while some simply heard him sing “Amazing Grace,” many might miss on the version he sang — one written by an East Texan.

Chris Tomlin, one of the world’s most renowned Christian music artists, wrote his version of “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” for his 2006 album, See The Morning. Tomlin was born and raised in Grand Saline, and his brother, Ryan, is currently the boys basketball coach at Whitehouse High School.

Tomlin used the original version of the class hymn — including the original final verse; the one most often sung now was substituted later. He also added the bridge of “My Chains Are Gone,” which Garcia sang on American Idol. Tomlin’s version was also featured in the movie, “Amazing Grace.”

It’s great to see stories like this on national television, especially when they have a little local tie. Here are videos of Ramiro Garcia’s audition and Chris Tomlin’s version of “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) that also shows clip of the movie.